Best Friends
by frozenwater
Summary: NEW CHAPTER UP!! Read and review please! Kel gets in some nasty relationships and gets saved from them by her best friend.
1. Moonlight

These characters are not mine, they belong to Tamora Pierce.  
  
Kel walked into the courtyard, staring at the moon. "How beautiful and full it is tonight," she thought.  
The formal ball going on tonight was a bore for her, and she had left as soon as possible. "I bet all those  
boys are still in there, practically red in the face from flirting with all those girls," she thought to herself.  
But Neal was the worst. He danced with every single lady there, as if he were as pretigious as the princ!  
Kel was mad that Neal had to have so much attention from the ladies. "If he wants a girl to talk to, why  
doesn't he just come to me?" she wondered. Sighing, she sat down on a bench.   
Suddenly, she heard a voice coming from the path nearby. On instict, Kel hid. The bushes by  
the wall were ample enough place for a body to conceal itself. Peering out into the growing darkness, Kel  
spotted Joren. "What a terrible predicament I'm in!" she thought. "If he finds me..." Kel tried to push the thought   
out of her head. And after one sentence by Joren, the thought was completely gone.  
"She's so beautiful, Goddess. Thank you for bringing her here, for planting a goal in her heart to be a   
knight so I can see her. Thank you for just letting me be with her for a time," he whispered. Kel gasped. She   
was shocked. Joren, liking her? The thought was nearly impossible. He was the one who she had thought liked   
her the least. But her shock had to be put aside for the moment. Apparently, she had gasped too loud.  
"Who's there?" said Joren.  
"Goddess, I'm in trouble now," thought Kel. Joren began peering into the bushes. He walked over to  
the bush where Kel was standing. She held her breath. Joren continued looking into the bushes. Kel was afraid   
he'd noticed her, when he turned away. She breathed a sigh of relief. Abruptly, Joren jumped into the bushes,   
knocking her down. There was a swift fight, but Joren, having more training and being a bigger person to begin  
with, soon came out on top. There was a knife at her throat now.   
"Who is this?" Joren demanded, while peering into her face. "Damn! Of all people, it had to be you!"  
"Let go of me!" said Kel. Joren smiled. "I rather like you where you are now," he said. "If you touch   
me, I'll tell, and you'll never become a knight. You'll get kicked out of the palace," threatened Kel. "Oh no!" said  
Joren sarcastically. "But just to prove that I mean no harm, here's a token of my affection. He leaned toward   
her face. His eyes looked bright, and his hair being tossed by the wind made his face look even more beautiful.  
His lips met hers. Smiling, he held her there, without moving for a minute. Kel was shocked, yet loving it. "How  
come no one ever told me how fun kissing was," she wondered. She still had some pains about it being with Joren.  
Slowly, however, Joren was pulling away from her lips, while Kel moved forwards, so hers could remain.   
"You think about that love," he said, smiled, and walked away. Kel stayed lying where she was for a long time. 


	2. Again

The next day, Kel was walking through the halls after dinner. She had been assigned by one of the nobles to fetch a book in a remote area of the palace. On her way there, she was suddenly suprise. A man came up behind her and put his hand over her mouth. Kel's training instinct took over, but the person was good, and after a minute, Kel realized it was pointless to fight. She stopped struggling. Slowing the man backed her up into a wall, then carefully turned her around. It was Joren! He smiled. "So, did you think about it Beautiful?" he asked. Kel fumbled for words. She had liked it, but was completely sure it was wrong. "Good," Joren said. Then he pressed her against the wall. Holding her roughly, he kissed her again and again, deeply and passionately this time, with no restraints. Kel was overwhelmed with desire, and began kissing him back. When her hands came up to take off his shirt, she didn't even realize it. However, when Joren stopped kissing her, and pulled her hands away, she did notice. "Mithros, what am I doing?" she exclaimed. "You're falling in love," replied Joren. Kel tried to break away from his grasp, but he held her firmly. "No, don't try to leave. It's what you want, and you know it! Don't deny yourself what your heart knows is true!" Kel just ducked away, and Joren let her go.   
Kel was awake for a long time that night. "What am I doing?" she wondered. I've always known Joren was fine, but I never liked him. Is it just because he's shown an interest in me and no one else has? Kel was too tired to think anymore, and resolved to think more in the morning, with a clear head.   
When Kel awoke, Lalasa had already started the fire. This was unusual, because Kel usually woke first. "What had gotten into me these days?" she wondered outloud. Lalasa commented, "Neal was hear a few minutes ago. I think he wants to talk to you when you're ready." Neal! He would understand perfectly! I could ask him what's wrong with me, and what Joren is doing! He'd understand, oh yes! "I think I'll do that," Kel said to Lalasa, with an enthusiasm that made Lalasa raise an eyebrow.   
Kel dressed quickly and made her way to Neal's rooms. "Neal I have this problem," she began. Neal had been looking out the window, but stopped and turned to look at her. She took that as a sign to continue. "Just yesterday, I accidently overheard Joren praying to the Goddess, and he confessed to her that he likes me. He, umm, find out I was there, and he kissed me. There it's out." Kel went on to tell the experience of last night. Neal was startled. "Joren- liking you? Not possible. How many times has he reiterated how much he hates you, and now he tells you that you're beautiful, and treats you perfectly? Too much of a sudden change. Joren using you, now there's a possiblity. He just wants to ruin something about you, take away one of your most valued things, to get back at you. Don't trust him, and don't ever let him come near you again." Kel was annoyed. To think she had trusted Neal, and then he came up with this crazy notion. "But I like him, and I realized that this morning. I think what you've said is just bull shit, and I don't believe you. I thought you of all people would understand. I guess I was wrong about you." With that Kel stood up and left the room. She was annoyed that he hadn't understod and mad at herself that they had gotten into a fight. He was supposedly her best friend, right? And he didn't even get to tell me what he wanted to. She was about to turn around and go back, when she noticed Joren at the end of the hall. He was just leaning against the wall, waiting for her. She kept walking. Joren greeted her with a kiss, and then asked her if she was doing anything that afternoon and would she like to go into the city with him. Kel was still mad at Neal, and in her anger decided that this was the way to get back at him. "I'll be there, yes." she replied. "See you soon then," Joren smiled back, and with a lingering hand hold, he left her. Kel returned to her rooms to get ready for her classes. 


End file.
